# Ghardaïa — 3-Day M'Zab Valley Tour

> Three days in the M'Zab Valley — the fortified hill-towns of Ghardaïa and Beni Isguen, the ancient foggara water system, palm oases and a 4×4 evening.

- Price: from €330 per person (private trip or small group)
- Duration: 3 days · 2 nights
- Starts: Ghardaïa Airport
- Best season: October–April (cooler desert weather)
- Guides speak: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, German, Russian
- Visa on arrival at Algiers airport possible: yes (the programme includes the Sahara)
- Web page: https://algeriacompass.com/tours/ghardaia-guided-tour/
- Book (request, no payment to enquire): https://algeriacompass.com/contact/?tour=ghardaia-guided-tour

## Overview

The M'Zab Valley is one of the most extraordinary places in the Sahara: five fortified towns built by the Ibadi Mozabites from the 11th century, each climbing to a mosque-watchtower, ringed by palm groves and fed by an ingenious foggara water system. Over three days you explore the market-town of Ghardaïa and the holy walled village of Beni Isguen, see the eco-town of Tafilelt and the palm oases, and head out by 4×4 for dinner under the desert stars. It is living UNESCO heritage, not a museum.

## Highlights

- The mud-brick hill-town of Ghardaïa in the M'Zab Valley
- The fortified village of Beni Isguen
- The ancestral 'foggara' water-sharing system
- Palm oases and traditional crafts
- A 4×4 desert safari toward El Guerrara
- Dinner under the desert stars

## Day by day

### Day 1 — Ghardaïa & the oasis

Met at Ghardaïa airport and taken to your accommodation. Explore the hill-town's narrow alleys and lively market, lunch in a restored heritage house, then a palm oasis and the foggara channels. Dinner and overnight in Ghardaïa.
- **The Ghardaïa market**: The tiered arcaded square beneath a pyramid-minaret, the M'Zab's bustling heart for a thousand years.
- **Lunch in a heritage house**: A meal inside a traditional Mozabite home — thick-walled and cool against the desert heat.
- **The palm groves & foggaras**: Gardens watered for a thousand years by the foggara — underground channels that make life possible in the dry valley.

### Day 2 — Beni Isguen & desert safari

Morning in the fortified village of Beni Isguen and the Tafilelt eco-town, with panoramic valley views. After a traditional lunch, a 4×4 safari toward El Guerrara and dinner in the open desert under the stars.
- **Beni Isguen**: The sacred walled town of the M’Zab, entered by its old gate, where dress and photography follow local custom.
- **The Tafilelt eco-town**: A modern Mozabite settlement built on traditional principles — proof the valley’s ideas are still alive.
- **4×4 safari toward El Guerrara**: Open desert beyond the towns, ending with dinner under the stars.

### Day 3 — Departure

A relaxed breakfast, then transfer back to the airport — the end of a journey through Algeria's Saharan heart.
- **Breakfast on the terrace**: A last guesthouse breakfast with the ksar stacked up the hill opposite — the best half-hour of the day in the M’Zab.
- **The old market square**: A final hour under the arcades of Ghardaïa’s market for carpets, dates and Mozabite wool, if the flight time allows.
- **Noumérat–Moufdi Zakaria Airport**: The private transfer out of the valley, with assistance to check-in for the flight north.

## Included

- Private transport
- Accommodation
- Local guide
- All taxes and fees
- Meals

## Not included

- Domestic flight (optional)
- Tipping

## Questions

**Is the M'Zab Valley UNESCO-listed?**
Yes — the M'Zab (Ghardaïa) was inscribed by UNESCO in 1982.

**Do I need to dress conservatively?**
Yes — it is a conservative religious community; modest dress and asking before photographing people are expected, and a guide is required for Beni Isguen.

**How do I reach Ghardaïa?**
The tour starts at Ghardaïa airport (domestic flights from Algiers); transfers are included.

**Are meals and accommodation included?**
Yes — the tour includes accommodation, meals, a local guide and private transport.

## Booking & policies

- Request to book: dates are held free for 72 hours with no payment while availability, permits and flights are confirmed; a deposit then secures the trip and the balance is due before departure. Payment by bank transfer, card or PayPal.
- 5% off when booked at least 60 days before departure.
- Free cancellation up to 5 days before departure, full refund. Within 5 days, committed costs may not be recoverable; the rest is refunded.
- If the visa is refused, everything paid to Algeria Compass is refunded.
- Visa: Consulate route: invitation letter 25 USD for a programme of at least 3 days with airport pickup and drop-off. Visa on arrival at Algiers airport for organised programmes that include the Sahara: authorisation 45 USD, plus the arrival stamp paid at the airport (by length of stay).